Pandaren (language)

The Pandaren language script as shown at BlizzCon 2011

Pandaren is the language of the pandaren race. It is actually the mogu language, and the pandarens' original tongue was forgotten long ago.

"Old tongue"

The Thunder King saw great potential in the pandaren, and for this reason he did not trust them. After he conquered the land, the pandaren were forbidden to learn to read or write. Their leaders and philosophers were executed. All pandaren art and literature was burned. Anyone caught speaking anything but the mogu tongue was considered to be a conspirator, a charge often punished with death. All of the work of the earliest pandaren artists and writers has been lost forever. Ages later, other great pandaren scholars would be born, but the language they spoke was not truly their own.

The "old tongue", the "language of emperors and scholars" that common pandaren can no longer speak or understand, is mentioned by Lorewalker Amai at the Wandering Isle. Lorewalker Ruolin sings a song in it, telling a story about Liu Lang and his adventures on the back of Shen-zin Su. Pandaren children who listened to the song could not understand any of the words.

• Pandowan: A term for the young Pandaren who are training on the Wandering Isle (likely based on the term 'Padawan' from the Star Wars series, meaning an apprentice or student).
• Pandriarch: Likely based on the term "Patriarch". Used in the names of the ancestors of the Goldendraft, Windfur and Bramblestaff families.
• Paw-paw: Seems to be the pandaren equivalent of the word "Papa" (father).

Mists of Pandaria

This section concerns content related to Mists of Pandaria.

Although pandaren are capable of speaking their own language, cross-faction communication between pandaren characters is not allowed.

Pandas can't talk to each other? Why? | 2011-10-24 09:15 |  Zarhym

We do understand that, by not allowing pandaren of the opposite faction to communicate with one another, there's a breakdown in the story there. But we feel strongly at this point that changing the precedent on cross-faction communication for one race only will ultimately not lead to a good gameplay experience. We're very excited to introduce a race that can be chosen by either faction, though we don't see our philosophy on cross-faction communication changing as a result of this.

This isn't very related, nor is it a way of properly compensating for that communication limitation, but one thing we'd like to do (we think is cool and warranted) is make a unique place in the world exclusive to monks -- think Moonglade for druids.

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Pandaren in the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

• Shao'din = "clan"
• Shodo-pan = Roughly scion/emperor

Untranslated words

• Pan
• Shaktani

Names

Pandaren naming practices are simlar to those of humans: each pandaren has a given name and a surname. The names themselves, of course, are different.

• Male Names: Chen, Jinto, Kesha, Masha, Mushi, Polo, Sinjo.
• Female Names: Huan, Jiang, Lian, Mei, Ping, Shui, Zi.
• Surnames: Earthsong, Greentouch, Honeybrew, Lightgrace, Reedwine, Sweetbarrow, Swiftpaw.